Xavier Cortada and Miami-Dade County’s Chief Heat Officer, Jane Gilbert, discuss how art can captivate audiences on a deep emotional level. (Photos by D.A. Varela / The Miami Herald)

May 25th: #KeepCoolMiamiDade Campaign Launch | 6:30pm – 9:00pm
The Xavier Cortada Foundation’s #KeepCoolMiamiDade campaign kicked off with a pop-up exhibition at the Coral Gables Museum on Thursday, May 25th, 2023. At the opening reception, artist Xavier Cortada was joined by Miami-Dade Chief Heat Officer Jane Gilbert and Mission co-founder Chris Valletta in revealing the #KeepCoolMiamiDade cooling towel Cortada created to help people cope with a warming planet.

May 25th – 28th: “Keep Cool Miami-Dade” Pop-up Exhibition at Coral Gables Museum
The museum’s exhibition featured Cortada’s cooling towel and 
three new paintings the artist created specifically for the launch of the #KeepCoolMiamiDade campaign, which aimed to raise awareness about the dangers of extreme heat in Miami-Dade County.  The exhibition is open to the public from 11:00am – 5:00pm (see admission fees at www.coralgablesmuseum.org).

May 27th: Hot Summer, Cool Health | 2:00pm – 6:00pm
The Cortada Foundation will be tabling at the Coral Gables Museum on May 27th during the “Hot Summer, Cool Health” event and will be generating social media content for #KeepCoolMiamiDade. Participants will be recorded talking about why heat safety matters to them and what their favorite ways of keeping cool are. RSVP HERE.

May 26th: Keep Cool Conversation | 11:00am – 1:00pm
Artist Xavier Cortada facilitated a conversation about strategies to creatively engage the community in addressing heat-related concerns. Participants included members from the business community, clinicians, outdoor workers, government officials, and first responders. The following individuals delivered opening remarks:

 

Summer 2023: #KeepCoolMiamiDade Engaged Programming
Join us this summer for artistic interventions aimed at addressing extreme heat in Miami-Dade County. In partnership with the county’s Chief Heat Officer and the Coral Gables Museum, the Xavier Cortada Foundation will leverage art, education, and collective action to raise awareness, empower individuals, and provide practical solutions for the climate crisis.

Through an online social practice campaign and community engagement, students and community members will conduct surveys and educate people about the challenges of Miami’s heat. We will target diverse segments of the population, including outdoor workers, athletes, public safety personnel, and elders, gathering their experiences and exploring solutions to mitigate the effects of warming. Additional project activations will feature panel discussions and presentations on the topic.

August 16 – September 24, 2023: Educational Exhibition at Coral Gables Museum’s Zahner Center
Experience the captivating culmination of the #KeepCoolMiamiDade project at the Coral Gables Museum’s Zahner Center. This educational exhibition will showcase Cortada’s powerful artwork and educational messages on climate change. Join us in urging the economic and political sectors to take action and combat the effects of extreme heat, contributing to a cooler Miami.